Playing online bingo and online casino games should be fun and affordable. While the majority of us enjoy playing responsibly, many people end up getting into debt or developing bad gambling habits. The UK have made tremendous efforts in promoting safer gambling and reducing the risk of gambling related harm, and Safer Gambling Week aims to push this further.
19th to 25th November
Safer Gambling Week runs from 19th to 25th November and aims to get people to question their gambling habits and ensure any gambling is done safely and responsibly. Promotional material about spotting the signs of gambling addiction, where to seek help and what you can do to protect yourself, has been produced. Online bingo and casino sites taking part in Safer Gambling Week will display this material in a bid to promote safer gambling. In venues, banners, posters and leaflets will be displayed and given out with staff members being a point of contact and asking whether customers need any information on safer gambling.
How to spot the signs of problem gambling
With around 1 in 10 people having experience of problem gambling, Safer Gambling Week aims to help you spot the signs of gambling addiction, which include: Spending more than you can afford to loseLying about your spending or time gamblingLosing interest in other activitiesChasing your lossesBorrowing money or selling items to fund your gamblingSpending less time with family and friends in order to gambleUnable to focus on work because of gamblingFeeling depressed, anxious or irritableUnable to stop gamblingGambling with larger amounts or for longer periods of timeNot paying other bills in order to gamble Safer Gambling Week also provides advice and information on how to seek help for gambling addiction, how to sign up for schemes such as Gamstop and how to control your spending with tools such as deposit and spending limits. For more information, head to www.safergamblinguk.org